Ariane 5 Flight VA216 is postponed for additional payload checks

Ariane Flight VA216

Arianespace has postponed its upcoming Ariane 5 mission after learning one of the two satellite passengers – HISPASAT’s Amazonas 4A – requires additional verifications. Amazonas 4A is to be joined on the flight by SES’ ASTRA 5B.

A new launch date will be announced by Arianespace as soon as possible.

Next up in the Arianespace flight manifest is its December 20 launch of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Gaia star-mapper, which will be lofted from the Spaceport in French Guiana using a Soyuz vehicle.

Built by Astrium, this scientific satellite will collect a massive amount of data over its planned five-year mission – providing enough information to answer questions related to the origin, structure and evolutionary history of the galaxy.